Campbell-Strain Funeral Home Then and Now

1503 N Second Avenue – Dodge City, Kansas

The Fairview Addition to Dodge City was platted by W. C. Shinn in April of 1886. This new subdivision, bounded by Sixth Avenue to Avenue A and Brier Street to what became Comanche Street, was considered so remote at the time that some suggested it should not be part of Dodge City at all. In fact, local politics created a debate about whether Ford County should end approximately where Fairview Addition began.

Shinn prevailed and Fairview Addition was officially annexed into Dodge City in February of 1887.

In July of 1922, a building permit was issued to Ralph W Campbell for construction of a $15,000 funeral home at 1503 N Second Avenue. This structure, measuring approximately 34 x 48 feet, would have two stories plus a basement. It was reported that “kellastone” would be used for the exterior finish but I am not sure if the brand name was used as a generic term for stucco. Kellastone Imperishable Stucco, made with magnesite, was advertised as being more crack-resistant than traditional stucco.

The funeral parlor was located on the main floor and a side entrance gave mourners access to the hearse in the driveway. The interior was decorated with soft blues and grays accented with mulberry red draperies. Morgue coolers were located in the rear of the main floor. In addition to living quarters, there was a casket room on the second floor along with an embalming room finished in white tile. The basement was used as a garage for the hearse and ambulance and an elevator transported remains between floors.

Campbell and his partner, Ted W Strain, purchased an ambulance and a hearse from the Rock Falls Manufacturing Co. for approximately $5,000 each. The ambulance was painted dark blue and white. Both funeral cars had interiors finished with birdseye maple and gray leather in the driver’s compartments.

A public reception was held on November 28, 1922 after a total investment of approximately $35,000.

Strain defeated Joseph Hulpieu in the 1924 race for Ford County Coroner. However, this office was left vacant after a terrible start to 1926. Ted and Beverly Strain’s newborn daughter, Winifred, died after six hours in January of that year. Their toddler, Teddy, contracted influenza and passed it to his mother, who died a few weeks later after the illness progressed to pneumonia. The boy survived.

Ted relocated to Denver and the funeral home was sold to Otto H Piller of Trinidad, Colorado in September of 1926. Piller then sold the mortuary a couple weeks later to a group of investors which included J. Clifford and Zella Dunsford, the Mullin brothers, and E. O. Green.

Dunsford Funeral Home was managed by the Dunsfords, who lived onsite and also continued the private ambulance service.

At some point, the family bought out their partners’ shares and son Jim became a co-owner of the business. James and Sadie “Sid” Barber bought the funeral home around 1959 but waited a bit to change the name. By 1961, it became known as the Barber-Dunsford Funeral Home.

Gordon Brantley and Doyal Schroeder bought the funeral home in October of 1974, at which time it was renamed Brantley-Schroeder Funeral Chapel.

Brantley exited the partnership in the Spring of 1975 and the business was renamed Schroeder Funeral Home.

Schoeder’s ownership of the facility was short-lived, as he sold the property in May of 1976. Since that time, it has been used as an insurance office and a private residence. Ford County currently has it listed as a dwelling converted to apartments.

This is how the former Campbell-Strain Funeral Home looks today:

I was pleasantly surprised to see that although the south portico has been altered, it is still intact. Some windows have been removed but the exterior appears mostly original. It’s a great example of 1920s architecture and I’m happy to see it is still in use.

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